


Spirit

by Dylalan



Category: Total Drama (Cartoon)
Genre: Chris Mclean is Insane and a jerk, Gwen Centric, Implied Relationships, Implied/Referenced Underage Sex, Other, The underage is very briefly referenced and not prominant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:28:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24770029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dylalan/pseuds/Dylalan
Summary: Gwen wanted to win.Her problem was just that she cared too much.
Relationships: Bridgette/Geoff (Background), Chris Mclean/Lindsay (Implied), Gwen/Duncan (One-sided), Gwen/Trent
Kudos: 22





	Spirit

**Author's Note:**

> I love Gwen, and she seemed like someone who would care about other people, but also deny that she did.
> 
> These are small drabbles about her positive relationships with the other contestants. I might do another one about her negative relationships. Takes place in the same continuity as my other story.

Gwen wanted the prize money. She wanted it almost as much as she hated Heather, and she would do anything to get it.  
The problem was that she was starting to care, and that wouldn't help.

\-------------------

Trent had been the first one to make her realize she was in danger. He was just such a genuine, nice, guy. They had the same taste in movies, books, and music. 

She had first realized it the day after the awakathon, when he’d snuck into Chris’s trailer, and brought her a cup of coffee. And then when he pinned the blame on Duncan, who had been easy to frame. She had sat, drinking her beverage, listening to Chris berate and threaten Duncan, when it hit her. Trent cared about her. The realization had made the bitter drink sour in her mouth, and she couldn’t drink anymore.

The second time she had noticed it was when he didn’t judge her over what she had written in her journal, and when he defended her towards Heather.

Things had gotten shaky when Chris had decided to bury her alive, but Trent had seemed remorseful about leaving her. He told her about how terrified of mimes he was, and he seemed genuinely apologetic. She’d given him the cold shoulder for the day, starting to regret opening up to him.

He had shown up outside the cabin the next day, another cup of stolen coffee, and a muffin in hand. “Forgive me?” He’d asked, looking nervous. She had.

With every day that went by, Gwen knew she was in more and more trouble. She could see herself falling for him, and that was dangerous. If they weren't in a contest, especially one they had been tricked into entering, she might have been able to see them having a future.

She was starting to think that maybe she wouldn’t mind losing, if it meant she could see how things would go with Trent. It wasn’t like she was really enjoying the contest anyway.

But Heather had put an end to any possibility of that. 

\-------------------

Bridgette was easy to get along with, even though at first glance Gwen had thought that she would hate her. Sporty girls and her had never gotten along. But it quickly became clear that Bridgette was just nice. To everyone, even Heather.

Every morning, even though they were on opposite teams, the girl would greet her with a wave and a smile. They’d make chit chat in between challenges, and laugh when Lindsay would call Chris the wrong name, and flinch when Tyler would inevitably get hurt trying to impress the others.

Gwen liked her, even if the other girl did spend a large part of their conversations gushing about Geoff.

If they hadn’t been competing, Gwen would have wanted to get closer to the girl. But they were in a competition. And Gwen desperately needed the money.

\-------------------

Gwen was suprised that she actually liked Geoff. Sure, he had been grating on her nerves during the challenge, and his constantly happy personality put her off. But she realized that it wasn't just an act. He genuinely cared, about her. It was a slightly new experience, and one that she had no idea how to deal with. So she threw his camera into the water. But even after that, even with her insulting him, pushing him away, he didn't break, didn't stop being nice.

So when he got eliminated, she gave him back his camera. As a peace offering. An olive branch.

An apology.

\------------------

Lindsay was different. It wasn’t that Gwen liked the girl, or even disliked her. She was just worried about her. It was probably the only thing she and Heather ever seemed to agree on. Chris was way too interested in the girl. It was the only thing Heather seemed to worry about, and Gwen hadn’t even thought that Heather had cared about anything other than Lindsay’s vote.

But when Chris would make a sleazy comment towards the girl, or eye her up, Heather would be there. Ready to step in front of Lindsay, or make a veiled threat towards the host, which he would easily ignore.

But Heather wasn’t always there for her. One night, after less than a week at the camp, she’d been out for a late night walk, when she spotted the ditzy girl, leaning against a tree. Standing over her, arms braced against the tree, was TV’s own Chris Mclean. Gwen quickly hid behind a tree, stomach in knots, trying to listen.

“Kyle? Did you want something?” Even in her worried state, Gwen rolled her eyes. Kyle? How bad could she be with names? But Chris’s next words made her heart sink.

“It’s Chris, Lindsay. And I think you know what I want. Or did you forget our little chat yesterday?”

Lindsay giggled, and Gwen made her decision, stepping into view.

Chris had instantly slid back, a practiced move that made it clear he’d done it before. He’d given Gwen the smile he usually gave Heather, or Duncan, the one that made it clear he was incredibly angry, but hiding it. “Gwen. Bit late for you to be out, isn’t it? I was just telling Lindsay to get back to the cabin, before I have to dole out any punishments.” 

Lindsay looked like she was going to question that, when Chris grabbed her arm, leading her over to Gwen. “You two should get back to the cabin. I’ll see you in the morning.” 

He gave Lindsay another once-over, before smirking at Gwen, and heading off, whistling to himself. Gwen had led Lindsay back to the cabin, and swore to herself that if she saw Chris try that again, she would stop him herself.

She tried to talk to Lindsay more after that, much to Heather’s displeasure. She’d ignore the girl calling her Glenda, or Gladys, and try to look interested in her chatter about makeup, fashion, and Tyler.

But she couldn’t help notice that Chris would smirk whenever he saw them talking, or the hickeys that would keep appearing on Lindsay’s neck, even after Tyler was eliminated.

\-------------------------

If Gwen had met Leshawna at any other time in her life, she was sure they would never have talked to each other. As it were, they became quick friends, and probably the person Gwen was the closest too in the competition. She was the one Gwen would confide in when Heather pissed her off, or when Chris set an especially brutal challenge.

When Trent was eliminated, and Gwen heartbroken, Leshawna was the first person there to comfort her. Hell, she’d been the one to try to get Heather kicked off in revenge.

As she sat there, sobbing, the girl had come up to her, slung an arm around her shoulder, and with anger in her voice, asked “Who did this to you?”

Gwen had shakily explained, and Leshawna had taken it into her own hands. As Gwen thought about it that night, she realized she had never had anyone care so much, as to immediately get revenge for her. And she realized that, if it came down to it, she wasn’t sure she would be able to eliminate the other girl.

\--------------------------

Duncan and Gwen just got along. It was partially the shared fashion sense, partially their love of horror movies, and partially just their mutual hatred of Chris. It really only increased when the teams merged, and they realized how alike they really were.

Unlike with Leshawna, if Gwen had met Duncan outside of the show, in high school, or more likely juvie, she was sure she would have gotten along great with him. As it was, they got along well even in their current situation.

Every challenge they would spend snarking with each other, or just mocking Heather. Man did Gwen love messing with Heather. As the challenges went by, even with things getting more, and more tense, Gwen tried to stick by Duncan. It wasn’t like it was with Trent, not at all. Where Trent was kind and considerate, Duncan was rude, and unkind. But he showed genuine anger when Heather kissed Trent, and Gwen realized she might not be as tough as she thought she was.

She only realized how much she’d grown to care for him in the horror movie challenge, when she thought it was just down to the two of them. Even knowing it probably wasn’t a real killer, and that Chris was just messing with them (again), she was worried for him. Even though, out of all of them, she thought he would have the best chance at taking a killer on.

But when she’d been facing off with the real killer, mocking him, not taking it seriously, she had seen the genuine terror on Duncan’s face when he ran in. It was the only time she had ever seen him show real emotion, besides annoyance, and it shook her, almost as much as the attempted murder. Almost. She still couldn’t believe she’d almost been killed.

And in the castaway challenge, when she thought Chris might have actually left them to die, she was relieved to have Duncan with her. The guy was a survivor, and his presence kept her from completely losing it. When he shared with her the reason he went to juvie, she realized that she was in genuine danger of falling for him, and that just wouldn’t do. She told herself that she was relieved that he got eliminated, even though she knew that was a lie.

And she would never admit it, not even to herself, but she wished it wasn’t him who got eliminated.  
Then again, she pretty much just wished it was Heather who would finally get the boot.

But as she saw him leave on the boat of losers, she wondered what would have happened if he had stayed.

\-------------

Owen was a great guy, his dietary problems notwithstanding. There wasn’t a mean bone in his body. Gwen liked him enough, not talking to him too much throughout the game. She just didn’t have anything to say to him, guessing (Probably correctly) that they just wouldn’t have much in common. She respected him as a team member, and that was about it.

But when he agreed to gang up on Heather with her, there was nobody else she would rather be in the top two with.

But she still intended to win.

**Author's Note:**

> I know I went a bit heavy with the Lindsay stuff, but she's my favorite character. And Chris is a literal murderer, so I don't think being a creep is too far fetched.


End file.
